


Dearly Beloved

by LouiseLouise



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, First Kiss, Gen, Getting Together, M/M, Maddie's amazing as usual, Marriage of Convenience, Mutual Pining, Set after season 3A, So is Athena
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 21:34:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21975733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LouiseLouise/pseuds/LouiseLouise
Summary: The one where everyone learns about Michael being sick and Buck is about to marry him, for reasons, though he doesn't understand why Eddie, his best friend of all people, is not being very supportive.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley & Michael Grant, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz
Comments: 18
Kudos: 295





	Dearly Beloved

**Author's Note:**

> This was loosely inspired by [this prompt here](https://smartbuckley.tumblr.com/post/189462328429/hey-i-just-had-this-totally-wacky-idea-since-you) though as usual I only followed half of it. There's not a lot of Michael in this, so if you're here for him I'll probably disappoint.  
> Unbeta'd, all mistakes are mine.

“What? It’s just a signature on a piece of paper,” Buck says. The team is standing in the firehouse kitchen and all eyes are on him.

“It’s a marriage certificate Buck,” Hen says, “that’s not _just_ a piece of paper.”

Buck shrugs. “I don’t get why you guys are making such a big deal about this.”

“I never pictured you as marriage material,” Chim says after a while, when nobody knows what to tell Buck anymore. “You’re just full of surprises, Buckaroo,” he adds smiling.

Athena comes up the stairs, carrying an envelope, with Bobby behind her. “Got them.” She puts it on the counter, those papers they’re gonna have to sign, him and Michael. She stares at Buck for a while, everyone waiting for her to speak, wondering how she’s dealing with all this, but she just takes a step forward and hugs Buck, as tight as she can. “Thank you for doing this,” she whispers in his ear, trying to hide all the emotions she has from this whole situation, then kisses him on the cheek. “You’re a good guy, Buckaroo.”

Eddie hasn’t said a word since Buck shared the news and Buck tries not to second guess his decision, but seeing his best friend disapprove sets some doubt in his mind. 

-

“Penny for your thoughts,” Buck says, as he and Eddie are going back downstairs towards the locker room. 

Eddie shrugs, lips tight and Buck can see he’s trying very hard to keep his composure. 

“Come on Eddie, you never shied away from telling me when I’m acting like an idiot, why start now?”

Eddie huffs. “I don’t think you-,” he pauses, taking a deep breath. “You’re not an idiot, Buck. You’re marrying a man so he can benefit your health insurance after his job fired him for being sick. That’s probably the least stupid thing you’ve ever done.”

“Why do you look so upset then?”

The alarm blasts off before Eddie can come up with a better answer than _because you’re getting married to someone who’s not me_ , and for once someone else’s emergency comes as a relief.

-

“Blue or black?” Buck asks Maddie, putting both ties on his chest against his shirt to test the colors, one after the other. They’re on a shopping mission to find both their outfits for the big day. Even if it’s not actually a _Big Day_ , it’s still a very important moment deserving of pretty suits and new shoes, to quote Maddie.

“Blue, always go with blue,” she says, looking at him fondly. “You’re gonna look dashing, Evan Buckley soon to be Grant,” she laughs, and Buck smiles at that name. His future name.

“It’s weird though, doing all that so seriously when it’s just pretend.”

“Are you having doubts? It’s okay if you are you know, it’s still a pretty big commitment.”

“Nah no doubts, I never thought I’d get married anyway. It just feels weird.”

Maddie pauses for a moment, helping Buck put on the tie. “You do realize that if Michael gets better, which we’re all hoping he will, you’ll be married for the rest of your life. Of both your lives, right?” Maddie asks.

“Yes sis, I do understand how marriage works,” he laughs. “I also know about something called divorce, so I think we’re good”.

“So there’s no one else you’d rather be marrying?” She adjusts his jacket and pats on the tie, looking pleased with how it looks together.

Buck frowns.”No, like I said, marriage was never really… I don’t know.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to push. I just thought you and Eddie, maybe, were… you two seem close, so I thought…” she mumbles.

“I thought so too for a very brief moment,” Buck admits, “but it’s not like that. He doesn’t want that, not with me. It did hurt a bit but it’s okay now, as long as we’re still friends you know. I just don’t wanna lose him, whatever we mean to each other.”

“I’m sorry Ev,” she says, brushing her hand on her brother’s cheek. “Heartbreaks are never easy.”

-

“Eddie come on you’re my best man, I need you here dude,” Buck says over the phone. “It can’t be a real bachelor party without you,” Buck pleads.

“It _is_ not real, Buck,” Eddie snorts.

“You know what I mean Eds, besides I thought you were on board with this?”

“Why do you even need a bachelor party? It’s not like you’re marrying out of love anyway, right?”

Buck can hear the disdain in his friend’s voice, and it stings. Even when Eddie agreed to be his best man Buck could feel parts of him still didn’t approve, though he never got to make him explain why. “We need the pictures, and the real memories in case some government agency decides to check if the wedding’s real. I thought I explained that already? It’s important to me, please.”

Buck can hear Eddie sigh. “Okay. I’ll be there.” He hangs up before Buck can thank him.

Buck looks at his screen before it goes back to black, while Eddie’s contact picture is still staring at him. Sure he told Maddie he was okay with being Eddie’s friend but sometimes, like right this instant, his feelings come back from where he hid them, turning into pain in his chest and sadness in his throat. He’s happy Eddie’s finally joining the party tonight, but part of him is bitter too, if he’s being honest.

-

“Thanks for coming,” Buck says pulling Eddie into a tight hug. They’re standing in the bar’s bathroom, both more than tipsy. Buck started relaxing the minute Eddie finally got there, and the rest of the evening just flew by, with drinks and laughter and selfies.

The warmth of Buck’s body against his makes something inside Eddie cave in. “Please don’t marry him,” he says on the verge of crying onto Buck’s shoulder, and that’s the last thing Buck expected.

“What? Shit not that again Eddie,” Buck says, pulling away. “Michael needs our help, and it’s not like anyone else wants to marry me anyway so if you still have a problem with that at least give me one good reason not to?”

“Because I love you,” Eddie just says, staring at Buck, hands cupping his face. Before Buck can answer, Eddie crashes their mouths together, pushing Buck against the sink and when Buck gets over the surprise of it he just kisses him back with all he’s got. Eddie’s lips taste like heaven to Buck’s mouth and now Buck never wants to stop kissing him ever.

They’re too busy to see one of the stalls’ door opening, and Michael trying to discreetly exit the room.

-

“They’re doing what now?” Chimney says when Michael joins the table and explains what he’s heard and seen.

“I think they’re pretty drunk though, do you think you could make sure they don’t do anything more that they might regret later?”

“Me?” Chim’s already picturing the awkwardness to come.

“Yeah I’m not sure I’m the person either of them want to see right now,” Michael says, trying to keep a smile on his face. 

Chimney calls Maddie on his way to the bathroom, because there’s no way he’s dealing with those two on his own.

“I need to ask Josh to cover for me for a few hours,” she says, instantly agreeing to help, worried about her brother, “but I’m sure he won’t mind as long as I keep him updated on the gossips,” she chuckles.

-

“I just want to kiss him again,” Buck whines. “This is a disaster, Maddie”. He’s buried under his comforter on his bed, Maddie gently patting his head through the fabric, waiting for him to be ready to sit up on his own and face the world. She stayed with him all night after driving him back from the party, while Chimney took care of Eddie. “Michael must hate me.” He sighs. “This doesn’t change anything though, I’m still marrying him. He still needs it.”

“It changes everything,” a voice comes from downstairs, and Buck instantly throws the blanket away, looking at Maddie in horror. “Michael’s here?” he mouths to Maddie.

“Yes, Michael’s here,” she answers. “And we came with backup.” She has that mischievous smile of hers that Buck doesn’t really like, meaning she’s up to something.

They go down the stairs together, to find Michael, Athena, Chim and Josh in his living room, while Eddie’s standing in the kitchen, feets away from everyone and looking angrily at the ground to avoid them all.

“This looks like an intervention,” Buck says. “I don’t like it.”

“It’s not,” Maddie says.

“We have a plan,” Athena adds.

“I am the plan,” Josh grins. “Oh I’ve always wanted to say that”.

“Buck,” Michael steps closer to Buck,” I know you want to do the right thing, and it means a lot, trust me. But it’s not fair to ask you to sacrifice your future for mine.” Buck opens his mouth to argue but Michael cuts him. “And before you claim you’re not sacrificing anything, let me remind you that Eddie’s standing right here where he can hear us, even if he pretends not to, okay?” Buck nods. “So let me do the right thing for you this time,” Michael says, “and cancel that wedding.”

“But the insurance?” Buck asks.

“Told you,” Josh says, “I’m the plan _and_ the insurance.”

“Josh is gonna marry Michael,” Maddie says almost giggling. “ _ **I**_ made that plan,” she reminds Josh smugly.

Buck looks at all of them, trying to process everything.

“It’s a good plan Buckaroo,” Athena says, gently putting her hand on Buck’s cheek in a soothing gesture. “I mean as long as Josh is not also madly secretly in love with one of his coworker… Josh?” she asks, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m not, pinky swear,” he says cheerfully.

“Then we’re all good,” Athena says, and her tone doesn’t leave room for arguing.

“And now we can leave you two to talk about your feelings,” Maddie smiles, giving a quick look at Eddie, who still hasn’t said a word since they came in, before hugging her brother and leading everyone outside of his apartment.

“Or not talk, as long as we don’t have to witness it this time,” Chim jokes, getting an eye roll from Maddie.

-

Buck closes the door and it’s like a weight's been lifted off his chest. He turns around to see Eddie still standing in the kitchen, his whole body tensed, hands gripping at the counter.

“Hey,” Buck says, crossing the space between them in no time to wrap his arms around him, feeling Eddie instantly relaxing against him. “You never told me how you felt before,” he says, almost a question.

“I thought I’d ruin everything,” Eddie whispers against Buck’s chest.

Buck smiles. “I’m glad you did,” he says, hand caressing the back of Eddie’s neck. “Though your timing man, that was something,” he laughs, and Eddie nods and starts laughing too.

“Still want to kiss me again?” Eddie asks, resting his forehead against Buck’s..

“Very much so,” Buck says, his nose brushing against Eddie’s.

One day, not that far from now, Eddie will tell Buck that there’s always been someone wanting to marry him, and Buck will say yes before Eddie even asks properly. But in this instant, all Eddie needs is Buck softly pressing their lips together, the total opposite of their first explosive kiss, slowing down to feel Eddie’s skin against his, eager to explore every inch of the man he loves, knowing they have all the time in the world, now.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!!  
> Like always, I love kudos and I treasure each of your comments ♥


End file.
